Snowthrowers typically incorporate pivotal discharge chutes for directing the snow forwardly or to one side or the other, as desired. Moreover, a pivotal deflector is usually provided at the end of the discharge chute for adjusting the angle of deflection in order to adjust the distance the snow is thrown. Such discharge chute assemblies are typically located in a central position atop the snowthrower.
Various such discharge chute assemblies have been available heretofore. For example, some discharge chute assemblies incorporate telescoping sections, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,552,714 to Linzy and 2,768,453 to Adams are representative in this regard. Other discharge assemblies incorporate a deflector which is pivoted to the outer end of the chute. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,879,866 and 3,867,773 to Gunderson and U.S. Pat. No. 3,828,450 to Boeck show discharge chute assemblies wherein the deflector is secured by means of a fixed pivot. However, such discharge chute assemblies tend to leak snow backwardly at the junction between the chute and deflector, particularly at extreme angles of rotation and/or deflection. This disadvantage also has been recognized in the prior art. For example, one approach has been to provide a flexible seal at the pivot joint and deflector, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,376,345 to Hochwitz. Another approach has been to provide a sliding pivot connection. U.S. Pat. No. 3,552,045 to Fieber and U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,171 to Bacon are illustrative of this latter approach. While these attempts have not been completely ineffective, they have not been altogether satisfactory either.
There is still a need for a discharge chute assembly for snowthrowers which eliminates such leakage over the entire range of pivotal adjustment.